Ryder's Replica Fighter Museum

[Epee]

On a recent vacation road trip with the family we passed a group of buildings next to an airfield with a sign that read "Ryder's Replica Fighter Museum". This was outside Guntersville, Alabama and it claimed to be the largest collection of WW1 replicas in the world. After a speedy U-turn the place was locked up which was no surprise since it was after hours on Sunday but there was an air of permanent closure. Is the museum still in operation and worth the visit?

[EricGoedkoop]

Epee -

The musuem is closed and has been for quite some time. If I remember correctly, Mr. Ryder (whose first name I forget) died in a plane crash in the 80's or early 90's, and subsequently the collection was auctioned off. Try a search (http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/search.php?) of past threads - I know it's come up once or twice before.

Sorry for the bad news,

Eric

[womenfly2]

His name was Frank Ryder.

He, his wife and son were killed in the plane he was flying. IFR conditions, Piper Malibu. Son had just recovered from cancer and they were on there way home from the hospital. Happened a little after takeoff.

He was a very inspiring gentleman.

[spacecrow]

Mr. Ryder hosted two fantastic air shows in the '90's.
I was there, any other formites attend? :unsure:

[Paul914]

Wasn't the first "Dawn Patrol" fly-in held there?

[joegertler]

By coincidence-before this thread was started- I put up a classifed, where there are more than 180 photos, mostly from those two events and the planes related to them, with extensive coverage. And, No, Dawn Patrol was an unrelated event..

[Lyle]

Yes, I was one of those fortunate enough to attend both shows--incredible events. If you can get hold of a video then by all means do so! A flyby of five Fokker Dr.Is at the first event was one of the many high points.
Frank was never a quiet person--it was always 110% for him. Those shows would have never taken place without his efforts, I'm sure of it.

[StephenLawson]

The Lafayette Foundation owns 4 of the former Ryder airfleet. The rest are strung out from New Zealand to Belgium with new owners. Ryder's sister-inlaw was the executor of the will and it wasn't until 1997-98 that the aircraft could begun to be sold off. This was due to legal issues and motions.

[womenfly2]

I was at the first one and have a hand full of 8mm video of the event. Including video of about 90% of the Dawn Patrol reenactment.

Almost every airplane that was there, was in the air! Awesome sight, just awesome!

Was very fortunate to speak to Frank in detail about the museum and the plans he had for it. A very interesting gentlemen to say the least.

Sad, so sad ....

[Major Larabee]

The Lafayette Foundation owns 4 of the former Ryder airfleet. The rest are strung out from New Zealand to Belgium with new owners. Ryder's sister-inlaw was the executor of the will and it wasn't until 1997-98 that the aircraft could begun to be sold off. This was due to legal issues and motions.
I belive that the ryder fleet had the "Blue Max" Replica's amung is inventry, apart from the Pfalz in New Zealand and the DVII in Belgium anybody know where the rest of the fleet ended up and in what state they are?

[spacecrow]

[Image(s) – please use the full version to view this post]

[Regulus]

If not mistaken the Albatros DV in the Stampe Vertongen collection was from Mr. Ryder

Best from Johan

[Lyle]

Spacecrow,
That is the same airfield--you can see Lake Guntersville right at the end of runway, where there were a number of boats anchored during the show...they certainly had a view of the action!

[StephenLawson]

http://www.airnav.com/airport/8A1


Thats it though a bit of a ghosttown now. The story of their demise is that they had also purchased an old cash register and some other antiques that they were bringing back when picking up their son. Supposedly this put them 400lbs over weight. The autopilot was set to engage at 3,000 ft and forgotten. She reached altitude and snapped to the left and began to spin. It lost the left wing upto the fuselage (single wing low attachment to the fuselage type) Mr. Ryder tried his best to fly her through the fog. When they pulled him from the wreckage both thumbs were broken. Pilots will understand this.

[StephenLawson]

If not mistaken the Albatros DV in the Stampe Vertongen collection was from Mr. Ryder Best from Johan

Thats it Johann also seen in the Young Indiana Jones "Attack of the Hawkmen."

[spacecrow]

Spacecrow,
That is the same airfield--you can see Lake Guntersville right at the end of runway, where there were a number of boats anchored during the show...they certainly had a view of the action!


My spot everyday was just to the left of the right side access to the field which was where most of the aircraft were brought out.

The airshow was marked by hot humid weather but no rain, the rest of the south was wet that whole weekend.

There was one aircraft that looked like it would surely end up in the lake when it took off. The usual take off was right over the lake.

The second show at a different location was great but that first one was electric.

[spacecrow]

Thats it Johann also seen in the Young Indiana Jones "Attack of the Hawkmen."

A beautiful replica.

They were filming for Attack of the Hawkmen at A-94.

[Svengi]

the young indiana jones episode? i loved that one

[Svengi]

i dont understand the broken thumbs

[StephenLawson]

i dont understand the broken thumbs

It means he was fighting to control the yoke with both hands when the aircraft crashed.

[duderank 2000]

I once bought a computer game called "Wingnuts". It was a WW1 shoot em up featuring actors and using lots of live action and miniature effects footage by one Joe Viscocil, who had worked on "Star Wars" and "Independence Day". All of the live action was shot at Guntersville, on the drome and all around the lake, and used several of the late Frank Ryder's replica aircraft. The Red and Blue Fokker Triplanes, the Albatros D5 , the Red nosed Camel, Blue nosed Nieuport 28 and Sopwith Pup.
In the game you get to shoot down lots of planes , burn a ballon, bomb a bridge and destroy a giant Zeppelin that acts as a flying aircraft carrier.
Does anyone remember this game, produced by a Sam Nicholson for Windows 95, and remember enjoying playing it as much as I did?

[Lyle]

I once bought a computer game called "Wingnuts" (big snip)
Does anyone remember this game, produced by a Sam Nicholson for Windows 95, and remember enjoying playing it as much as I did?

YEP YEP YEP!!! That was a fun one, and just loved that film footage. That's what made it for me...

[joegertler]

I don't know how many of these scenes survived the cutting room, but there are a bunch of photos I took during the filming of "Wingnuts." It was NOT done on the cheap. It was filmed by a 46 man crew that came from California and built some elaborate sets. The nightly parties by them, after a days filming, attracted the local police. They are on my website at;
http://www.memaerobilia.com/ww1filmshoot.asp

[StephenLawson]

Greetings all; I found this over on the Armorama website on some on topic subjects.

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=55432&page=1

[Matt Witt]

For those who haven't realized the connection, Frank Ryder was the founder and owner/CEO of Ryder Truck Rentals. Also, the Guntersville, Alabama airport was coincidentally the last point of departure for Ricky Nelson and his band in 1985. They were flying in Nelson's DC-3 (actually a reconfigured C-47) enroute to Dallas when they crashed near DeKalb, Texas.

[joegertler]

For those who haven't realized the connection, Frank Ryder was the founder and owner/CEO of Ryder Truck Rentals.
False rumor. Untrue.

[Matt Witt]

You sure Joe? I've seen him written up that way on at least half a dozen occasions in various pubs. I gather you knew him, though, and all I have is what I've read elsewhere. Sure?

Matt

[Matt Witt]

Joe is right. Ryder Truck's web site says it was founded by James Ryder in 1933. Nor is any Frank Ryder ever listed anywhere in the company history as a corporate officer. Shows you can't believe everything you read. (My own scribblings included) :blush:

[franzkait]

There are many antrue storys about Frank Ryder, this is not the only one.

[wolfenbill]

If I'm not mistaken I seem to remember Ryder mentioning that his company was a prototype manufacturing company. You had an idea, his company could turn it into reality. He always said that he had to rent his trucks just like everybody else. People just assumed that since his name was spelled the same and that he had money.........he was the truck rental guy.........but no.

[Lyle]

Didn't Frank invent the "green eye" on batteries which was then stolen by Sears?